I shot this from the bridge at Ironman Chattanooga. It looks like a bunch of fish, but there are some close ups, too. Maybe you will recognize yourself or someone you know.
I’m working on a longer edited video (that includes the run) for Ironman Chattanooga, so make sure to follow me @miketarrolly on Twitter or sign up to follow Crushing Iron by email in the upper right hand corner. Thanks!
This is Anna Cleaver first female out of the water at Ironman Chattanooga right after the male pro. Then a few more men followed by several other women. Pretty awesome.
I have some other cool video stuff coming up so be sure to follow this sight by email at the top right hand of this page or connect with me on Twitter @miketarrolly. Thanks.
Ironman Chattanooga Pro Men coming out of the water.
For more stuff like this be sure to follow Crushing Iron by email at the top right of this page or hook up with me on Twitter @miketarrolly.
While I don’t think triathletes will ever get to the level of major stars, I do believe the spectator landscape of sports is changing. I have all but lost interest in the NFL, MLB, and NBA, and think the type of person who does endurance sport is ripe for the same pattern.
The Long-Tail is a marketing buzzword that essentially means there is unique commerce space for the “little guy.” With relation to sports it means there will be fewer mega stars and more opportunity for lesser-known athletes (and sports) to “sell” their niche. The internet allows people to find what they want, rather than have LeBron James jammed down their throat all hours of the day. (I’ve touched on this opportunity before).
I’ve always enjoyed tracking pros at races, but sometime around 2:00 on Sunday at Ironman Chattanooga, it dawned on me . . . I really like pros at races. It’s one of those things that never ceases to inspire, and as an age group triathlete (and fan of the sport), that is a tangible phenomenon.
Earlier that morning, I stood at the swim exit waiting for the first pros to get out of the water. There’s been a ton of criticism about the ease of Chattanooga’s swim but that takes nothing away from the fact that the first two swimmers I saw, Brandon Barrett and Eric Limkemann, were absolutely hammering down!
Later, I eagerly watched (from my lunch table) the bike splits for an indication of the course and knew (despite four extra miles) we had a fast one brewing. When the pros get over halfway through the bike, you’d better be plotting your next move because they come in quick.
By the time we got to the Run Out, we missed the first pro, but watched the others mount their chase. The level of intensity blows my mind. Here are these guys and girls who just crushed a swim and 116 mile bike settling in for a 26.2 mile chase on foot.
In all of my races, I have only had one situation where it turned into a battle at the end. I was on the verge of third place at Rev3 in an Olympic this year and had to find a completely new gear. Let me tell you, it hurts, and I can’t imagine how it feels to be way out in front with a pack of great runners working to knock you down.
As a spectator, this is great drama. It’s the race within the race. We have our friends racing, but there is something more intense brewing between the seams. And frankly, watching a bunch of guys like me slog by in an Ironman gets a little old after a while.
We stood just under a mile from the finish and got to witness the first three women come through within minutes of each other. Their faces, their body language, their focus, all captivating.
Ironman has proclaimed they intend to get serious about pros next year, but that also seems to mean they won’t be at as many races. That is unfortunate but bigger pay days and intense competition are a good thing.
I’ve decided to do my part and give these athletes a little extra publicity when I can. The more I get to know the names, the more I am drawn to the sport. It would be awesome if more of these pro triathletes became household names, and knowing that we can actually compete in the same races with them makes it even sweeter.
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Well, over lunch I took a quick detour from these hallowed days of rest in the peaceful waters of the downtown YMCA (not to be confused with this crazy pool). I just wanted a light workout that would take my mind off mounting pressures and maybe convince me that I haven’t forgotten how to swim.
I was almost in the clear, but dark sunglasses weren’t enough as I unceremoniously snaked my way from the locker room. Gliding right at me with a grin was my training buddy, and former candidate for judge. Busted.
“Hey,” he said, with a suspicious look, “I thought you were on a 10 day break?”
“Well, uh, yeah, I am, but uh, I sorta felt like I . . .”
“Oh, don’t worry, buddy. I don’t judge.”
“I know, and that’s exactly why I voted for you!”
He thanked me for my vote, then I graciously let him worry about more important things, like training for Ironman Chattanooga.
Yeah, so I did swim this afternoon and it felt . . . okay. I really spent most of the time looking for that little pocket. The place where my stroke feels powerful and effortless. I think I found it three times in the course of a half hour.
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And now it’s later in the night and while I didn’t swim too hard, I do feel like it took something out of me. I haven’t done anything of note tonight, but plan a little meditation before bed.
Two days left to revel in the wonderment that is rest and recovery. I plan to ride the Trace on Saturday, then do a reasonably long run on Sunday. Then it’s decision time. Will I bite the bullet and sign up for Louisville, or will this be a summer of short tracks?
I have to admit, I’ve watched this Ironman Louisville video a few times tonight. I’m sure your pulse will race as much as mine.
. . . we didn’t make it to the 50 Miler. We were late getting out of bed and how do you find runners in the forest?
The good news is . . . this town ROCKS! I’ve never been to Chattanooga and I am seriously thinking about moving here. 
Those of you lucky enough to get into Ironman Chattanooga will be swimming under this bridge with a sweet-ass current as your guide. I think, however, you will also be running over that bridge a couple times later in the day. But the scenery is spectacular.
It took me about 5 minutes to realize the city planners just nailed this place. Instead of building a wall of crappy chain restaurants, they have elegantly sprinkled them into the existing landscape.
So, Jim and I are hanging out in a coffee shop and I am eyeing a new condo development out the window. The layout and architecture are definitely inviting, but Chatt is also a training Mecca. Gaze out this window with me and imagine the possibilities lurking in the mountains peaking up in the background of this picture. 
So, this is just the beginning of my love affair. There will be plenty more evidence as this weekend, and 2014 unfold.
I have been writing a lot, but nothing seems relevant lately. My heel still hurts a little and I haven’t been running, but as I have mentioned in the past, this is a big problem because running is my catalyst. So, if I can’t run, I’ll do the next best thing . . . go watch people run.
Yep, fellow Fab Fiver, Jim is joining me for a weekend in Chattanooga to watch some people we know (and many more we don’t) run the Lookout Mountain 50 Miler. For those of you that don’t understand, that means they will be running 50 miles tomorrow. Ha! I know you know, but I think sometimes it’s funny to revisit just how crazy endurance athletes get sometimes.
To make it more interesting, the weather seems like it will be a muddy pile of crap. I don’t know about you, but I’m not so sorry I didn’t sign up for this one. Fifty miles in the mountains while it’s cold and rainy? Probably not.
But, obviously I think it’s pretty damn awesome or I wouldn’t be standing in the cold rain watching them. AND, I have never been to Chattanooga before and hear it is just amazing. I’ll make sure to get some pictures for everyone who’s signed up for Ironman Chattanooga. I’ll also make sure to throw in a few course breakdowns to get you jacked.
Until Chatt . . .
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The plan was to leave Tuesday night at 6:00, stay in a hotel 4 hours out of Nashville, then be in Wisconsin by noon. It didn’t quite work out that way.
We ended up leaving Nashville around 7:00, had to eat, deal with the dog, and only made it about 3 hours and stayed in Marion, Illinois, which seems to have cornered the non-traditional tourism market by housing both a VA hospital and a prison. Wednesday drive took about six hours and we got to Wisconsin about 3:30.
Rolled into my parents and, as luck would have it, there was a swim meet going on at the public pool I could literally see from my bedroom as a child. I walked over and got a little pre-race motivation from the kids. 
Dad manned the grill and turned out some amazing burgers before we settled down at in the War Room and went over mom’s plans for the Ironman spectators. 
So, anyway, honestly, I love my mother, but her computer is really testing my patience right now, so I will soon be in Madison, and give a couple more updates before Sunday. Thanks for hanging around all year and I can assure you this blog will continue after the race. I just learned 29 people from our training team are signed up for IM Chattanooga next year, so there will be endless fodder.
As always, I’d like to give a special thanks to my Uncle Kenny.
Okay, Wasky has called me out: Do I have the balls to sign up for my second Ironman before I even do my first?
I fear the answer is yes.
My Facebook feed and text messages have been exploding all day long with 100% commitments from nearly every triathlete I know in Nashville. I’m quite sure a survey would show at least 20 people who are in, and that is hard to resist.
We heard rumblings of Ironman Chattanooga a few weeks ago, but now it’s officially September 28, 2014. It’s also about an ironman bike distance away from my house. Is there any doubt?
It is the very first Ironman in Chattanooga. Training the course will be easy and often. Plus, I’ve never actually spent time there and hear great things about where the city is headed. Can I afford NOT to do it?
Plus (and this is a big one) it’s Racer K’s hometown. He’s coming to mine for IMWI, so I feel like I need to return the favor. And, I’ll get to see his mom again, which is always nice. Is it fate?
All that said, I would really like to wait until after Wisconsin to make the decision, but I fear it will sell out fast. It is a short jaunt for a huge portion of the population and I can’t imagine slots being open for more than a few days.
I also thought it would be cool to chill for a year after my first Ironman and follow my triathlon passion with a series of Olympics in cool towns where I could take a nice little vacation and not worry about training so hard. Ironman training has changed my life, but it is a major time sucker.
For now, my mind is occupied with the first Ironman. I can’t afford to get sidetracked thinking about number 2. But, Chattanooga registration just happens to be near the end of my taper, so I’ll likely be bored enough to do something crazy, like sign up.